With only one in ten hotel rooms in Sweden booked, the situation is catastrophic for the industry.
The hotel's revenue is 70-80 percent lower compared to the same time last year, according to the industry organization Visita.
Visita and Benchmarking Alliance have produced figures for the hotel industry in early February. Nationwide, only 13 percent of hotel rooms are booked, compared to 40 percent at the same time last year.
During the past week, hotel revenues have fallen by just over 70 percent compared to the corresponding week last year.
”"It underlines the extremely difficult situation where we are now almost eleven months into a crisis for the hotels. Almost all turnover is gone and the booking situation looks very bad," says Jonas Siljhammar, CEO of the tourism industry's trade association Visita.
”"Hotels are an important part of the tourism ecosystem. When everything else is down, hotels suffer."”
In Stockholm, the situation is worse than for the country's average hotel. Revenue is down 84 percent compared to the same week last year and only just over one in ten rooms is booked.
What does the hotel crisis mean for jobs?
”"The number of bankruptcies and restructurings is increasing in the industry. The number of employees affected by this more than doubled last year."”
Visita wants to see improved government support to save jobs.
”"If the companies are no longer around, it is not possible to rehire everyone who has lost their jobs. Every second employee has been affected, we estimate that around 100,000 people in the hospitality industry have lost their jobs, been laid off or given notice," says Jonas Siljhammar.
”"The support that has been decided must be paid out urgently, it is going far too slowly and it is too complicated to apply."”
Visita also wants to see increased ceilings on business support.
”"The large hotel chains have been in business for a long time and are no longer receiving support."”
How do you feel about the spring sports and Easter holidays?
”"The booking situation in the mountains looks good for the sports holidays, but it's still tough with the restrictions for the industry. This applies especially to the alcohol ban after 8 pm," says Jonas Siljhammar.
The light at the end of the tunnel is the hope of rapid vaccination of the population.
”"I still expect the industry to have a very tough situation until at least the summer. But then it will be until 2022 or 2023 before we get a normal situation for the industry."”
Source: di.se
